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Henryk Górecki died today?
I have just heard that the Polish composer Henryk Górecki died earlier today, a little short of his 77th birthday.
I thought this might be an appropriate time to appraise his contribution to 20th-century music. Many will be familiar with his surprise 'hit', the 3rd Symphony ('Symphony of Sorrowful Songs'), but I would be interested to learn which other works of his people have heard and your opinion of them.
Alberich - a pleasure
Miserere http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_BgG9b9KrE
Harpsichord Concerto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J9xK84F5aU
String Quartet No 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjt6wxgBFg0
Symphony No 2 (end) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwOTBSisRIk
Kleines Requiem für eine Polka
4 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavourite answer
It's hard to find anything of his other than the 3rd symphony. I've only heard about a dozen of his pieces and have an affinity for his early work.
I remember back in college we performed his 2nd symphony which I find wonderful. It takes the intricate and deep feeling of 16th century counterpoint but with the majesty of neo-romantic orchestration.
His early more experimental/avant-garde work that I've heard is very nice. I quite like the Musiquettes. They are agressive and assertive, a quality that too much 'modern' music these days is lacking.
I was able to find Musiquette IV online:
- AlberichLv 71 decade ago
"rdenig_m..": ditto - I'm ashamed to admit; but............. I do have it in my computer music library.
Might you post some You Tube videos of his compositions you think may be accessible to an ole "stuck in the mud" ROMANTICIST like me - promise to listen to them?
Alberich
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EDIT I: thank you - appreciate it.
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EDIT II: I did listen to them all; and found I was able to relate meaningfully to some aspects of his music - but not to others.
His writing for the human voice/the choral, is masterful; and in places uplifting. Needless to say the same holds true for the orchestral - he (to me) paints in a someways unique, other worldly soundscape; and I would imagine that to some as myself, takes "getting use to" in order to fathom.
The final (finale-?) of his 2nd symphony I found to be the most rewarding of your posted links. The "ppp" section (about mid-ways-?) caused me to up the volume control. And ultimately suggested to me, an "unanswered" question.
The Harpsichord concerto...............I was hanging on, in attempting to follow. And think I got it, but only when the last chord sounded....??? Which leads into those aspects of his music I was unable to relate....."meaningfully" (positively-?).
He as seemingly to me so many other contemporary composers do, implements/utilizes a repetitious modality I'm unable to comprehend - and sorry, but this just drives me up the wall: i.e. Phillip Glass.
The "Requiem Polka" I almost gave up on - literally had to force myself to endure it. But will admit the "lightening up" at the end, "made some sense of it all"....... (sort of).
Again, many thanks for the links.
